Shoe rearching and straightening device



March 9, 1943. R. M.'ANDERSON 2,313,417 SHOE REARCHING A1111 STRAIGHTENING DEVICE Filedqct. 17, 1941 grwmi 36 I RzzsqdZMJZ-rdersah,

Patented Mar. 9, 1943 orrice SHOE REARCHIN G AND STRAIGHTENING DEVICE Russell M. Anderson, Kansas City, Mo.

Application October 17, 1941, Serial No. 415,440

10 Claims.

My invention relates to rearching and straightening devices adapted to be applied to shoes and one object of my invention is to provide a simple and efiicient device of this character which can be readily applied to a new shoe to maintain the arch thereof, or to an old shoe to rearch the same.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which can be applied to shoes that have become moist from perspiring feet, to keep the shoes from curling up at the heel and toe and letting down at the arch.

A further object is to provide a device adapted to simultaneously pull down on the heel and toe and press up on the arch of a shoe to maintain the shoe in proper shape.

A further object is to provide a device which can be employed as a shoe tree to sustain a shoe in'proper shape and is designed to be applied wholly to the exterior of the shoe to afford unrestricted ventilation thereof, thereby enabling the shoe to air or dry out while the sole and heel of the shoe are held in a straightened position to prevent them from curling up, thus materially any desired part of the arch of the shoe, so that such arch will properly support the metatarsal arch of the foot.

Another object is to provide a device that can be readily lengthened or shortened to fit shoes of different lengths.

Other objects will hereinafter appear and in order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

. Fig. l is a side elevation of the device applied to a shoe. 7

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan View of the devic applied to the shoe.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device extended preparatory to being applied to ashoe.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of parts of the device with the lever thereof in position for extension of the device.

Fig. 5 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 4 with the lever swung upward for the purpose of clamping the device upon the heel and toe of the shoe.

In its preferred embodiment the invention comprises a toe member 2, a heel member 4, an intermediate member 6 and a manual lever The toe member 2 is preferably formed from one piece of wire folded at its intermediate portion to provide a concave element I0 and a pair of substantially parallel longitudinal members I2, which latter are turned outward in opposite directions at their rear ends l4 to enter any pair of opposed holes H5 in the lever 8, for the purpose of shortening or lengthening the device. The elements l2 are adapted to extend longitudinally beneath the sole A of a shoe B and are preferably arched longitudinally as indicated at ill to press against the under side of the sole A as shown by Fig. l. The forward portions 19 ofthe longitudinal elements l2 are bent to di-" verge upwardly and join the ends of the concave element H) which is adapted to fit over the toe of the sole A to pull downwardly thereon an thus assist in straightening the shoe. The heel member 4, like the toe member 2 is preferably formed from one piece of wire folded at its intermediate portion to form a concave element 2!! and a pair of longitudinal elements 22 which latter are turned outward at their forward ends 24 to enter any pair of opposed holes 25 in the intermediate member 6. The longitudinal elements 22' are substantially parallel and adapted to extend longitudinally beneath the heel C of the shoe and are bent at their rear portions 28 to diverge upwardly and join the concave element 2H.

' The intermediate member 6 is preferably made of sheet metal bent into U cross-section to provide a pair of spaced longitudinal flanges 3ll'an'd a longitudinal top portion 32, which latter unites the former. Each flange 30 is provided with a series of holes 26, any opposed pair of which is adapted to receive the outturned ends 24 of the longitudinal elements 22, which latter are held in longitudinal alinement with the former by lugs 34 extending inwardly from the rear ends of the flanges 30 to underlap said longitudinal pivots 43 which extend through the respective flanges 30 and 36.

The lever 8 is of less width than the intermediate member 6 so that it may be swung upward between the flanges 3!) to clamp the device to the heel and toe of the shoe. The lever 8 is also suihciently narrow to pass between the lugs 34 as shown by Fig. 2, so that it may be swung upward far enough to carry the outturned ends M of the toe member 2 above the pivots 4.9 as shown by Fig. 5, and thus lock the lever in active position. The lever 8 is further secured in locked position by means of a spring catch 42' which presses downward on the forward end of" In practice, the device can be lengthened or V shortened to fit shoes of different sizes by inserting the outturned ends Mof the elements l2 in the proper holes l6 of the lever B, and the outturned ends 24 of the elements 22 in the proper holes 26 of the intermediate member 6. When the foregoing adjustmentsare being made the intermediate member 6 may be adjusted forward or backward to engage any desired part of an arch for the purpose of: rearching an old shoe or maintaining the arch'of a new shole for proper support of the metatarsal arch of the foot. After the device has been adjusted as stated it can be readily applied to the shoe by first swinging the lever 8 downward to extend the device as shown by Fig. 3. The concave element of the heel 4 is then seated against the upper rear portion of the heel C, after which the lever 8 is swung upward to the position disclosed by Fig. 1 to contract the device and seat the concave toe element It: upon the upper forward portion of the sole A and against the toe of the shoe. As the lever 8 is swung upward it exerts considerable tension on the toe and heel members 2 and 4 to pull them into firm engagement with the toe and heel, respectively, of the shoe and at the same time presses the arch it against the bottom of the sole, thereby causing the front end of the toe member 2 to exert a downward pull to straighten the shoe. During the upward swing of the lever 8 it forces the upper forward portion of the intermediate member 6 firmly against the arch of the shoe to restore the same to its normal condition. Upward pressure on the arch and downward pull on the heel and toe of the shoe is also due to the line of draft extending at an angle from the concave element 20 to the outturned ends 24 of the heel member 4, and the line of draft extending at an angle from the concave element H! to the outturned ends M of the toe member 2 which tend to straighten out the device when tension is exerted thereon as stated.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawing, it is apparentthat I have provided a simple but strong and efiicient device which is well adapted forthe purpose intended, and while I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention I reserve all rights to such changes and modifications thereof as properly fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, a toe member adapted to extend longitudinally beneath the sole of a shoe and having an upturned the sole and heel members to draw them firmly into clamping engagement with the toe and heel, respectively, of the shoe.

2. A device of the character described comprising a toe member adapted to extend longitudinally beneath the sole of a shoe and having 1 an upturnedfront end for engaging the toe of the shoe, a heel member independent of said toe member, adapted to extend longitudinally beneath the heel of the shoe and having an upturned rear end for engagement with the rear portion. of the heel, an intermediate member connected to the forward portion of said heel member and adapted to extend beneath the arch of the shoe, and a lever operably connected to the toe member and said intermediate member and adapted to force the latter against the arch of the shoe and draw the heel and toe members into clamping engagement with the heel and toe, respectively, of the shoe.

3. In a device of the character described, a toe member having a pair of parallel elements adapted to extend longitudinally beneath the sole of a shoe, said longitudinal elements being bent upward at their forward portions and united by a concave toe-engaging element, a heel member independent of said toe member adapted to extend longitudinally beneath the heel of the shoe and having an upturned rear end for engagement with the rear portion of the heel, and a manual lever operably associated with the sole and heel members to draw them firmly into clamping engagement with the toe and heel, respectively, of the shoe.

4. In a device of the character described, a toe member formed from one piece of wire bent intermediate its ends to provide a concave toeengaging element, said wire being bent downward from the ends of the concave element and then backward to provide a pair of longitudinal elements to extend beneath a shoe sole, a heel member independent of said toe member, adapted to engage the rear portion of the shoe-heel and extend forward beneath the latter, and a lever associated with the respective toe and heel members and adapted to clamp the same into firm engagement with the toe and heel, respectively, of the shoe.

5. In a device of the character described,a toe member formed from one piece of wire bent intermediate its ends to, provide a concave toe-engaging element, said wire being bent downward from the ends of the concave element and then backward to provide a pair of longitudinal elementsfor extending beneath a shoe sole, the rear ends of said longitudinal elements being bent outward in opposite directions, a lever having two series of opposed holes any opposed pair of which are adapted to receive the outturned ends of the longitudinal elements to lengthen or shorten the device, and a heel engaging member associated with the lever which latter is adapted to draw the sole and heel engaging members into clamping engagement with the toe and heel, respectively, of the shoe.

6. A device of the character described comprising a toe member adapted to engage the toe of a shoe and extend longitudinally beneath the shoe sole, a heel member formed from one piece of wire bent intermediate its ends to provide a concave heel engaging element, said wire being bent downward from the ends of the concave element and then forward to extend beneath the heel of the shoe, the forward ends of the wire being bent outward in opposite directions, an intermediate member having two series of opposed holes any opposed pair of which are adapted to receive the outturned ends of the wire so that the device can be lengthened or shortened, and a lever connected to the rear portion of the sole member and pivotally connected to said intermediate member and adapted to draw the respective toe and heel members into clamping engagement with the toe and heel of the shoe.

7. A shoe straightening and rearohing device comprising a toe member adapted to extend 1ongitudinally beneath the sole of a shoe and bent upward and backward at its forward end to engage the upper surface of the toe of the sole, said member being arched longitudinally to press against the sole and pull downward on the toe thereof to straighten the shoe, 2. heel member adapted to extend rearward beneath the heel of the shoe and bent upward to engage the upper rear surface of the said heel, an intermediate member adapted to be pressed against the arch of the shoe to rearch the same, said intermediate member being adjustably connected to the heel member so that the former may be adjusted forward or backward relative to the arch, and a lever connected to the sole member and pivotally connected to said intermediate member to press the latter against the arch of the shoe and to draw the respective heel and toe members into clamping engagement with the heel and toe of the shoe.

8. A device of the character described comprising respective heel and toe members for engagement with the heel and toe of a shoe, an intermediate member connected to the heel member and provided with a resilient catch, and a lever connected to the toe member and pivotally connected to the intermediate member to draw the respective heel and toe members into clamping engagement with the heel and toe of the shoe, the pivoted end of said lever being adapted to engage the resilient catch of the intermediate member.

9. A device of the character described comprising means for engaging the heel of a shoe, means independent of the heel engaging means for engaging the toe of the shoe, an intermediate member connected to the heel engaging member and adapted to extend beneath the arch of the shoe, and manual means connected to said intermediate member and the toe'engaging member, adapted to draw the toe and heel engaging members into clamping engagement with the respective toe and heel of the shoe.

10. A device of the character described comprising a member adapted to engage the heel of a shoe and extend part way beneath the shoe, an intermediate member having means for adjustably engaging the forward portion of the heel engaging member so that said intermediate member may be positioned at difierent points beneath the arch of the shoe, a member adapted to engage the toe of the shoe and extend part way beneath the shoe, and manual means connected to said intermediate member and the toe engaging member, adapted to draw the latter and the heel engaging members towards each other and press the intermediate member against the arch of the shoe.

RUSSELL M. ANDERSON. 

